The New York Knicks and Tom Thibodeau are finalizing a five-year deal to make him the next head coach of the franchise, sources told ESPN.
Knicks president Leon Rose and agent Spencer Breecker of CAA Sports were working on Saturday to complete the contractual terms, and a signed deal is expected in the near future, the sources said.
Rose and Executive Vice President William Wesley are completing a two-month search process, and Thibodeau is expected to emerge with the job. Together, they’ll take on the daunting challenge of restoring a sad franchise to NBA relevance.
New York is counting on Thibodeau, who has a history of developing players as head coach and assistant, to implement a program that restores a competitive infrastructure with the Knicks. For now, Rose and Thibodeau inherit a list that needs dramatic improvement before a return to the Eastern Conference race is a realistic aspiration.
New York was 21-45 this season, missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
Thibodeau is the 11th professional win percentage for coaches with 500 or more games. He has a record of 352-246 (.589) in eight seasons with Chicago and Minnesota.
62-year-old Thibodeau joins the Knicks after a tumultuous two-year season with the Timberwolves that included the franchise’s No. 1 playoff spot in 14 years, and an outcome focused on commercial demand from All-Star Jimmy Butler who led to Thibodeau’s impeachment as president and Coach in 2019.
Thibodeau had five playoff seasons with the Bulls, including a trip to the Eastern Conference finals and an NBA Coach of the Year award in 2011. A series of injuries to MVP Derrick Rose played a role in derailing the aspirations of the Bulls.
Thibodeau was an assistant to the Knicks with Jeff Van Gundy between 1996 and 2004, and has always wanted to return to New York as head coach. He is from New Britain, Connecticut.
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